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Shuttle Discovery (STS-133) launch

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Gary
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Re: Shuttle Discovery (STS-133) launch

Post by Gary » Thu Jan 13, 2011 10:37 pm

NASA updated the launch schedule for the remaining shuttle today

Discovery (STS-133) February 24th at 21.50pm GMT (4:50 p.m. EST)

Endeavour (STS-134) April 18th at 00.48BST or (April 17th 7:48 p.m. EDT US time)

Plus another possible launch
Atlantis STS-135 - 28th June 2011
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Gary
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Re: Shuttle Discovery (STS-133) launch

Post by Gary » Sun Jan 16, 2011 3:02 am

The mission has now got another problem. Mission Specialist Tim Kopra, who was to be lead astronaut on the the EVA's (spacewalks) is now reported to have broken his hip in a bicycle crash :O Casting doubt on the targeted launch date of 24th February
Discovery Mission Specialist Injured, But OK
Sun, 16 Jan 2011 02:48:56 AM GMT

STS-133 Mission Specialist Tim Kopra was injured Saturday in a bicycle accident, but his injuries are not life threatening. However, there could be an impact to his duties for shuttle Discovery's STS-133 mission to the International Space Station. That possibility still is being evaluated.

Further details of his injury are not being released at this time due to concerns for his medical privacy.

Meantime, technicians in the Vehicle Assembly Building at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida are working through the weekend on making strengthening modifications on Discovery's external fuel tank stringers.
Discovery and its six astronauts are targeted to launch Feb. 24.
Info from NASA

More info here Spaceflight now
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Gary
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Re: Shuttle Discovery (STS-133) launch

Post by Gary » Mon Jan 31, 2011 2:25 am

Yet another update 31/01 :lol:

Discovery to be rolled back to the launch pad today (Monday) after being returned to the Vehicle Assembly Building just before Christmas. NASA still targeting launch for February 24 at 2150 GMT (1650 EST)
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Gary
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Re: Shuttle Discovery (STS-133) launch

Post by Gary » Fri Feb 18, 2011 9:57 pm

NASA just held the STS-133 Flight Readiness Review. Discovery’s launch date has official set for 24th Feb at 21.50GMT (16:50 EST) :thumb: under a week to go finally :clap:
Posh are going to Wembley (albeit for a tin cup)

RichC

Re: Shuttle Discovery (STS-133) launch

Post by RichC » Sat Feb 19, 2011 2:39 am

Endeavor lies close to me as i witnessed the very first launch of this shuttle/orbiter 2 weeks after Hurricane Andrew devestated the region.
We got up so close (as you do in the bus rides) to Endeavor that i never wanted to leave. As an engineer myself, i find it astonishing that an engineer could think up the engine systems of this and the rockets (Saturn V) before it.
We were the last bus up VERY close to the shuttle the day before it took off. I was in awe.
The next morning although on cocoa beach, the whole area was shaking madly as it launched. I, forever will be glad i witnessed such an event and the last ever shuttle to be built, seeing its first ever launch.
I will miss the shuttles, miss the comms 15mins after launch and miss seeing them on TV.

When i came away from the shuttle, and visited the park where the rockets lay, i just cannot think how someone can think up and build the engines needed to get someone out of this atmosphere and beyond (the moon) and those little craft that had to rely on the sun for gravitational push out of our solar system (Voyager).

Looking into and around the engines of the shuttle and Saturn V i cannot imagine how long it took to design and build and test successfully, the engines. Like i said, as a mechanical engineer, it is awe inspiring. Not only that, the engineers and scientists that can think of all this and get human beings to the moon and back and even put satellites in orbit without doing it before (they didn't even test it).

Think how hard it must have been to get the first man in space and to get home, not knowing what our atmopshere will do on re-entry and so on.

Amazing, and i cannot believe although the technology was amazing that we are going back in time from using Rockets to the Shuttle and now back to Rockets again.

Its similar to the Concorde.
We have gone past the technology level versus cost.
Concorde was and still is the only supersonic airliner. Since the 60s and its now 2011 we have still not had anything close. Now, since Concorde has been mothballed, we have gone "back" to subsonic airliners and sticking with it (for now, purely down to cost).

Same thing really with the shuttle.

Amazing.

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Gary
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Re: Shuttle Discovery (STS-133) launch

Post by Gary » Sun Feb 20, 2011 11:35 am

Discovery's six astronauts are due to arrive at Kennedy Space Centre today. They are expected around 20.45GMT (15.45EST)

Coverage via NASA TV Only mention it because there should be some nice shots of the crew arriving in four.. T-38's :thumb: :thumb:
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Gary
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Re: Shuttle Discovery (STS-133) launch

Post by Gary » Sun Feb 20, 2011 8:35 pm

Bump!

Arriving now :thumb: :thumb:
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Re: Shuttle Discovery (STS-133) launch

Post by Gary » Thu Feb 24, 2011 12:46 am

Discovery due to launch today at 21.50GMT :clap: only 3 and half months late :lol: Currently in the T-11 hours hold

NASA Mission Management Team yesterday (Wednesday) confirmed a "go" for an attempted launch Thursday. Currently 80% chance of favourable conditions.

The external tank fuelling to start at 12.25PM GMT

Bit of info about the mission here NASA STS-133
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Re: Shuttle Discovery (STS-133) launch

Post by davedubya » Thu Feb 24, 2011 1:20 am

Both Spacevidcast and Spaceflightnow tend to stream from the HD feed compared to NASAtv.

(The latter also has launch coverage from Miles O'Brien and Leroy Chiao, who used to do the CNN coverage before they killed off their Scitech reporting.)

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Gary
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Re: Shuttle Discovery (STS-133) launch

Post by Gary » Thu Feb 24, 2011 1:43 am

Hopefully Spaceflightnow will be able to cope this time, the last few launches its started to slow down :lol:
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Re: Shuttle Discovery (STS-133) launch

Post by davedubya » Thu Feb 24, 2011 4:43 pm

The ISS makes a pass over here at about 19:20....so there may be a chance to see the Shuttle fly over after launch, as it starts chasing after it.

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Re: Shuttle Discovery (STS-133) launch

Post by Gary » Thu Feb 24, 2011 5:29 pm

90 percent chance of acceptable weather for launch :thumbs: :clap: Getting excited now :clap: :lol:
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Re: Shuttle Discovery (STS-133) launch

Post by zacwatson » Thu Feb 24, 2011 5:52 pm

Hi all,

I live in Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk. and will I be able to hear the shuttle on these two frequencies on pg. 1 "259.7 primary
296.8 secondary"? If yes should I just stick on 259.7?

regards Zac
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Gary
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Re: Shuttle Discovery (STS-133) launch

Post by Gary » Thu Feb 24, 2011 6:07 pm

You might get a few secs of comms or i'm hoping we will :lol: . Most likely be on 259.7 primary, every time i've heard the shuttle its been on primary.

Over the years i've had the most success getting comms with Discovery :clap: so fingers crossed
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Re: Shuttle Discovery (STS-133) launch

Post by craig51 » Thu Feb 24, 2011 6:10 pm

is this AM or FM?

Cheers.

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zacwatson
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Re: Shuttle Discovery (STS-133) launch

Post by zacwatson » Thu Feb 24, 2011 6:14 pm

Gary wrote:You might get a few secs of comms or i'm hoping we will :lol: . Most likely be on 259.7 primary, every time i've heard the shuttle its been on primary.

Over the years i've had the most success getting comms with Discovery :clap: so fingers crossed
Thanks :thumbs:
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Re: Shuttle Discovery (STS-133) launch

Post by thommg » Thu Feb 24, 2011 6:16 pm

craig51 wrote:is this AM or FM?

Cheers.
AM Craig.

I've caught it once before.

Passed T Minus 3 Hours now. Top stuff! :pop:
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Re: Shuttle Discovery (STS-133) launch

Post by Pune » Thu Feb 24, 2011 6:19 pm

Hi Guys,
If the ISS and shuttle do 'come this way', which compass points will they come from to, if you get my drift..
Cheers
Pune
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craig51
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Re: Shuttle Discovery (STS-133) launch

Post by craig51 » Thu Feb 24, 2011 6:20 pm

thommg wrote:
craig51 wrote:is this AM or FM?

Cheers.
AM Craig.

I've caught it once before.

Passed T Minus 3 Hours now. Top stuff! :pop:

thanking you. i caught it once two years ago, about 30 secs. It was quite amazing!

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Re: Shuttle Discovery (STS-133) launch

Post by zacwatson » Thu Feb 24, 2011 6:26 pm

how much long after the launch would we imagine to hear it?
Canon 500D
Canon 18-55mm IS
Canon 50mm F1.8
Canon 70-300mm F/4-5.6 IS USM
Grecom PSR-295

http://www.flickr.com/photos/zacwatsonphotography/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.airfighters.com/photosearch.php?phgid=4155" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

vWg Cdr of 99Sqn at http://www.vRAF.org" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; on VATSIM

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